


The One Once Loved

by LenaLuthorOwnsMe



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, Kara Danvers Needs a Hug, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Maybe - Freeform, NationalArtist!Lena, Painter!Kara, Why Did I Write This?, everybody needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-20 08:43:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17619170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenaLuthorOwnsMe/pseuds/LenaLuthorOwnsMe
Summary: In which Kara is a graduate student of fine arts, descendant of the 33rd National Artist of America seeking apprenticeship from the recently awarded 73rd National Artist, also hailed as her enigmatic magnificence, Lena Luthor.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> a/n: This is a dark and twisted ode of possessive love. Also, definitely working on two endings to my other fics, give me more time. Thanks!

"Third picture, whom among you knows this painter who's infamously known for her two sided paintings? Although legend has it, people only speculated that there's more to what she paints than meets the eyes?" The grey haired art appreciation professor, Mr. Henshaw, asked as he flashed a picture of the unknown painter.

The class was silent, even Kara's best friend who knows everything about local arts and artists is silently studying the photo of the half naked woman, only draped with a white cloth, from her waist down, her arms covering her chest. She's just hugging herself as she looked deeply into the camera. Her doe eyes are focused yet conflicted at the same time.

"So none of you knows who this newly awarded National Artist is?" He asked again but, the whole room remained silent, he sighed out of impatience and frustration. "All right, for the benefit of everybody, this is the 25 year old painter hailed as the latest National Artist of America. She is also the youngest among the long line of hailed artists in the past. She painted the most awarded, sought after and equally controversial painting entitled, 'The One Once Loved', which is now in the possession of the country's second wealthiest painting collector and retired journalist, Mr. James Olsen. For the price of 80 million dollars. And she is no other than, the enigmatic magnificence, Miss Lena Luthor."

The class of twenty students all from the prominent families of artists, painters and sculptors gasps and wows as their professor explained.

"Sir -” Kara's best friend's voice echoed in the room and all eyes darted her way when she raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Lane?"

"Sir, could you tell us more about Ms. Luthor and her paintings?" Lucy seriously asked, and being equally curious as Kara was, she anticipated Mr. Henshaw’s discussion.

"Would love to, one of the well known gossips in the industry I heard is that, Miss Luthor almost always paints by pair. Although, she only shows the public one side of it. Like the most contentious one she painted, The One Once Loved -" He then clicked on his laptop which flashed another picture, this time a framed oil on canvas. It is labeled, 'The One Once Loved', it is a painting of a naked woman, with a pale, slender almost fragile looking body. Her back in full view of her audience, she was tightly clutching something against her bosom, which you wouldn't be able to see at all. But, her whole body is seemingly tensed. It’s amazing how the woman almost look like she’s shaking from a certain angle of the masterpiece. She's not letting go of something and you know once you see it, you'll crave for more. She's in a bedroom where the sheets are crumpled, and a broken vase on the wooden floor. It was one dark room, mostly with blues and black and only streaks of yellow, white, sometimes red as the source of light.

"This is the only picture of the painting sold for 80 million last month at an auction. Miss Luthor didn't tell anybody about the story behind the painting. She only told the press that, what they see, may not be what they like, but it is eventually what they get." Mr. Henshaw explained.

"Miss Luthor and this painting of hers, received different recognition from all over the world because not only it is a public spectacle artistically and technically speaking, the people also were intrigued about the other side of the painting, despite none was able to prove that there is one." Mr. Henshaw added.

"But sir, what made the people think that there is another side to it? Especially that none has proven if there was any at all?" Kara forced out of nagging curiosity.

"You see, Miss Danvers, there's one painting Miss Luthor was generous enough to share once in an exhibit, and she showed the public the two sides of it. It was a simple water color on a ten by ten of Romeo and Juliet. It was called, 'What True Love Feels' the first canvas showed Juliet hugging Romeo, her right hand was covering Romeo's nape while her left was closely clutching a pointy dagger. The second canvas, shows Romeo hugging Juliet, his right hand was scraping Juliet's back, while his left was clutching another dagger not only closely but deeply dabbed on Juliet's nape."

"She clearly explained how there will always be someone who's going to love more than other. Her words were; the one who loves more may do or tell you things that'll hurt you, but they are there to keep you together. That symbolizes the protective right hand of Juliet on Romeo's nape, although she was holding a dagger close, she knows once she tried hurting Romeo with it intentionally or not, she'll hurt herself first. On the other side, Romeo was a coward. That's why his hand was at Juliet's lower back, possessing and craving for more and the dagger was already dabbed on Juliet's nape, because he's clearly afraid of hurting himself so he hurts the one he loves first before the other person could get the chance to do so." Mr. Henshaw detailed and right of the bat the university bell rang and it was time to go.

+

"What do you think about The One Once Loved?" Kara asked Lucy while they're walking down the corridor of their university's old building.

"I believe there's another side of it and it is much darker." Lucy nodded mostly to herself, perfectly convinced of the rumor.

"How are you so sure?"

"Haven’t been paying attention again? You didn’t notice the picture Mister Henshaw showed us?"

"What did I miss?"

"Kara, the woman was clutching something tightly against her chest right?"

"Ahuh?"

"But have you seen the smudges of blood on the different parts of her body, and the drippings under her?"

"There was blood?"

"Yes, Kara, there was blood all over that painting. And I'm sure; the front part of it is much morbid than the back. And I want to see it."

"But how?"

"I’m still not sure how but, I want to be her apprentice this year. Every year, according to my research she accepts two fresh arts graduate to be her assistant and she'll mentor them what she knows in return. We could be this year’s lucky two!"

Lucy and Kara came from the family of two of the famous painters in the country; Lucy is the direct descendant of Ferguson Lane on the father side the 23rd National Artist. While Kara is the great granddaughter of Merhyn Zor-El, the 33rd. So every subject they have that relates to art interests them in some ominous levels.

“And you already know how we’re going to get that internship?”

“I’m currently working on it.”

That night out of crippling curiosity, Kara started searching for more information about the painter, Kara was thrilled to find her on Wikipedia but was instantly disappointed to open an almost empty page. Only the basic information about her was there.

* * *

 

_Full Name: Lena Keiran Luthor_

_Birthday: February 23, 1994_

_Parents: Lionel Luthor and Lillian Luthor (adoptive)_

_Siblings: Alexander Luthor (CEO, LuthorCorp)_

_Spouse: none_

_Children: none_

_Profession: Painter, 73rd National Artist (2019)_

* * *

 

Lena's early and personal life section were empty; so Kara just read the brief of her works, her awards weren't mentioned though.

_Lena Luthor, started painting with the aid of her well-known father, former CEO of multi-billion international company LuthorCorp, who was also a painter himself when she was 10. Since then Lena has been incredibly making a scene in the industry, despite her intricate way of hiding herself from the mainstream media. Some of her acclaimed works were, 'What True Love Feels' that she painted when she was still in college at Royal College of Art (RCA). 'The Bleeding', her first work as a professional painter. And the most distinguished 'The One Once loved' that she painted back in 2013, and is now legally sold to Mr. James Olsen at a lump sum of $80 million at this year's National Art Auction. Mister Olsen was asked about his latest purchase, and why he fought hard to acquire it, his words were; 'Because not only the painting was divine, I equally venerate its artist, a very dear friend of mine Miss Luthor.'_

After reading the article, Kara found herself searching for The Bleeding, but there's no picture of it on the internet. So she just resorted to researching about Mr. James Olsen, one look, and the guy could pass as a father figure, especially upon knowing that Lena’s dad already passed away. But, Mister Olsen and Lena's May-December age gap is cringe worthy, and him referring to her, as a very dear friend isn't romantic, it actually gives Kara chills.

The lack of information about the subject nags on Kara's obsessive self, and that night she wasn't able to sleep well. She was always brought back to Lena's paintings and the morbidity of each. Kara knows deep down her conking subconscious that she wants to know the painter personally and she wants to ask her, her questions.

Kara's weird.

Not only because she was raised in a very expressive and sensitive environment, after she was adopted by the Danvers. Kara developed an intense calling for submission. She is a willing prey. She lost her virginity when she was 15 to her dad's 17-year-old apprentice, thinking she was the one. Yes, Kara's a lesbian, a closeted femme. She's naïve at times but, is really intelligent, expressive and creative. Although she has this uncalled compulsion for broken people.

+

"Have you figured out how we're going to apply for her yearly apprenticeship?" She asked Lucy while they're at the cafeteria the next day.

"Not yet, but my dad told me that he'll try to pull some strings in the academe, that'll reach her. He was really interested about my sudden fascination for the industry's most intriguing artist of today so he said he'll try and help us."

"Cool. I wish dad could do the same." Kara sadly retorted.

Her second dad passed away last year because of pancreatic cancer, and she almost lost her muse for painting. After the tragic passing, Kara never entertained love again, she's scared of hurting and losing the person she'll love, just like how any other great love stories end. If only Kara’s more like her older adoptive sister, Alex, she knows it would be a tad bit easier.

"No worries Kara, we'll get that apprenticeship in no time. You'll make your dads proud." Lucy assured her with a tap on her back.

After a couple of days, Kara received a call from Lucy that Miss Luthor would welcome them in her house at one of the huge, heavily guarded suburbans of the city for the 3 month apprenticeship after their graduation next month. Graduation day came and Kara couldn’t hide her excitement. It wasn't only because she was already done with college, but also because she would finally be able to meet the woman behind the 80 million painting, and for the next 3 months she'll be able to learn from her, and Kara's starting to believe that her fathers would really be proud of her.

Everything went on as usual after the confirmation of their internship but, on the day they are set to go to the painter's house, something happened.

"Hello Lucy? Where are you? Thought we're needed there today?"

"About that Kara, I'm sorry I have to back out - "

"What Lucy!? Why?!"

"Something came up, an opportunity abroad. It's too huge to decline. I'm sorry. But you would still be accepted by Miss Luthor, her secretary told me everything will go as planned."

Left with no other choice, the next day Kara found herself outside the biggest property she’s ever seen in. It is detached from the outside world, secluded and protected by bushes and shrubs and well-trimmed landscapes, and a canopy of trees. She rolled in the stretch of the well-groomed lawn; she saw two cars, both luxury, both worth 100 times more than Kara’s 10 year old Peugeot.

Kara got out of the car and she easily spotted a figure waiting for her on the front porch of the mid-rise building of steel, solid wood, and concrete in the middle of the more than an acre plot of land. But it wasn't the painter herself. Kara is thinking maybe she's the secretary. Kara smiled as she approach the steps.

"Hi, good morning, I'm Sam. Lena's secretary." The woman greeted giving Kara a firm handshake.

"Good morning, I'm Kara." Kara timidly answered.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sam.”

“Nice to meet you too.” The brunette warmly smiles as she nods Kara towards the direction of the front door.

“I’ll give you a quick tour and a few house rules in the duration of your apprenticeship, follow me this way.”

Sam gave her the new apprentice tour of the whole house and no it wasn’t quick. The house was a huge artistic chaos on the bottom level, different colored paints were strewn everywhere the warmed smooth wooden floorboards, with streaks of it also reading the gray walls making an almost airbrush mixture of colors that serves as the design. The open design of the house gave Kara the one full view of everything, from the door, towards Kara’s left was the staircase to the second floor.To her right was living room with a modern looking fireplace, one part of the glass walls is opened letting the fresh suburban spring cool in extending the living room. Further north of the house was the round glass and steel dining table for six, right in front the cream colored marble top white kitchen island counter. It was only then Kara realized how relaxing and full of natural light the whole space was, with three of the solid walls knocked out to make way for floor to ceiling remote controlled glass walls instead - right, immaculate, very personal, and more than 80 million expensive. Having a clear background with architecture and engineering because of Alex, Kara knew that a two story house like this is one hundred percent priced like an 8-bedroom mansion at the Hampton's.

The second floor was more in order, it’s more contemporary with two walls made of steel and one-way glass on either side of the rectangular floor plan, making the whole floor even bigger then it is. There are two rooms in either of the longer sides of the floor, hidden in gray smooth finish walls and charcoal heavy wooden doors. A common living area is located near the glass wall facing the front yard and garage, while a bar that extends to a veranda facing the lake.

“Fancy a drink?” Sam suddenly asked as they stood outside the veranda, facing a view worthy to be painted.

“Sure.” Kara nodded out of courtesy.

“Is the lake part of the property?”

“Any preference? And yes it is, the property extends up to the second gate you took from the main one earlier.”

“Just some club soda? Wow, that’s a good few miles from here?”

“Yeah, Lena loves space and the quiet, helps in the painting process.” Sam explained as she aptly put Kara’s glass on the bar top complete with lime and stirrer, Kara was amazed.

“Right, of course.” Kara awkwardly chuckled, “Thank you for the tour and this.”

"You can choose to stay here with me and Lena or do you already got a flat nearby?"

"Would it be okay if I could just stay here? I have no family in this area."

"Sure, you can use the room there, the last door on the right. Feel at home, if you need anything you can just knock on my room. I'll just be lying around." Sam joked.

"Thank you, Sam." Kara smiled.

"By the way, Lena would be the one to take you in the workshop later this afternoon. Feel free to move around and settle in, I'll just be in the room next to yours finishing some paper works." Sam explained.

“Yeah sure, I’ll find my way around.” Kara agreed, the woman smiled once more before gracefully turning around and towards the fourth door in the vicinity.

Kara decided to take her luggage from her car to take it up her room after a few more minutes appreciating the view and finishing her drink. She also noticed a black marbled floor infinity pool almost reaching the man made lake on the other side of the property. The air is fresh and breezy, which actually inspires her to paint. It’s amazing - the whole place is.

Kara was already walking towards her car when she noticed the workshop on the outer right side of the house also facing the lake; it's constructed of steel, glass and wood. It’s looks more like a butterfly garden. Something draw Kara towards the shop though, she doesn't know what, she then walked along the tall glass windows of it. She tried looking passed the partly blurry glass to see through the inside and when she does, Kara froze to where she was standing, she saw someone inside, a woman. The woman's back was facing Kara, the woman has dark brown to black hair that ends just above her chest. Tresses tousled everywhere, her body was slender yet soft, Kara even thought her back looks familiar. But before Kara could even remember where she saw the familiar figure, the woman removed the robe hugging her body and she was bare.

Kara's eyes widen in surprise as she gasped and what staged her more was when the woman turned her head towards where Kara was with a graceful twist of her neck as if on instinct. Their eyes met, and the next instinctive thing to do was to duck down. Kara's heart was racing and the zoo was lost inside her stomach. 'What a weird sensation' Kara thought. Kara crouched and crawled back to where her car was restraining herself at all cost from look back.

She made back to her car eventually, and there was naked woman rushing out of the shop to confront her so, that’s that.

+

"Do you know the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, Miss Danvers?" The National Artist, shamelessly sat in front of Kara at the workshop, her whole body covered with nothing but paint.A huge ten-foot canvas hanged behind her emblazoned with the most beautiful abstract Kara ever saw.

The painter's body was covered with the same abstract of colors like the canvas, and Kara's wondering if she painted it with her whole body.

"Miss Danvers?" The painter husked, she picked up the knitted robe from the floor and cover herself to help Kara out of her distracted state. Kara takes a deep breath and reminded herself not to stare even longer than she already did.

"Uhh no, Miss Luthor, I'm not a fan of Greek mythology." Kara shyly confessed averting her eyes from the masterpiece, not the canvas but Lena to her laced hands on her lap.

"Aw no?" Lena suddenly stood up, cardigan, paint on her body and all.

"Miss Luthor?" Kara braved.

"Yes?" Lena huffs as she set up an easel before Kara and putting a medium sized canvas on it.

"Did you slip on the canvas while painting?" Kara asked.

"That one?" Lena counters instead of answering.

"Ahuh?" Kara huffs, her eyes trails back to the drying art.

"I used my whole body to paint that." Lena said, almost proudly.

Kara internally wowed, the ten-foot canvas was a great explosion of the fauvist colors of red, yellow and orange of different shades. Kara couldn’t explain how the painting looked so pleasing in the eyes despite the strong angry colors Lena used.

"So you are a Merhyn Zor-El?" Lena asked while she's behind the canvas, working on something with charcoal this time. "Yes. Before I was adopted by Jeremiah Danvers. My parents died in an accident." Kara said about to move and stand up.

"Don't move." Lena reprimanded, "Be still." She added while her eyes are fixed on what she’s doing.

Kara obeyed and remain seated on the wooden high stool. She could feel the sweat trickling down her back as she did.

"Do you want to know the story of Orpheus and Eurydice?" Lena asked eyeing Kara from the slits of the easel.

"S - Sure." Kara stutters, she suddenly feels hot on the cheeks, surely she’s blushing.

"Orpheus was the son of Apollo and Calliope. Apollo gave his son a lyre and taught him how to play it at a young age. But, to his surprise, even before he was able to teach him, Orpheus was already playing the lyre with all his might. Far more excellent than his own father. One day, Orpheus was playing the lyre out in the woods, when he caught sight of Eurydice, he fell in love with her in an instant and she did to him as well. They were married shortly, but on their wedding, Hymen predicted that their perfection wouldn't last for a long time. Lo and behold, one day while roaming the woods, a shepherd, saw Eurydice and was beguiled by her beauty, he sought the woman making malicious advances, that scared the latter, Eurydice tried escaping the maniac but was fatefully bitten by a snake and instantly died."

"That's comedic." Kara suddenly blurted out of nowhere.

"You think so?" Lena asked obviously offended.

"I'm sorry, it's just that -"

"You judge by the tip of the iceberg, Miss Danvers."

"I'm sorry, really - -" Kara apologized, suddenly ashamed of herself. "Will you continue?" Kara asked almost pleading.

"Only because you thought it is comedic -" Lena insulted, Kara remained silent. "Orpheus was broken hearted, he sang his grief with his lyre and there was no living thing that wasn't moved by his melody; both humans and gods. Apollo then advised his son to plead to Hades, to go to the underworld and ask him to give Eurydice back to him. No mortal would've survived the trip down below, but the gods guided Orpheus, and he reached the Stygian, where he faced Hades and his wife, Persephone. Orpheus sang his grief and sorrow and even Hades' stone heart melted for him. He granted Orpheus' wish, under one condition, Eurydice will walk behind him, she will follow him, to the light at the tunnel's end where Eurydice will be brought back to life but he wasn’t supposed to look back all throughout. Although in doubt, Orpheus agreed delightedly and began walking towards the light, he tried hearing Eurydice's steps behind him but he can't hear them, so he started thinking that Hades himself may have fooled him. But of course his wife was silently walking behind him -" Lena detailed and dropped the chunk of charcoal she's holding.

"What do you think happens then?" Lena asked as she sat back down in front of Kara.

"They were able to reach the light at the end of the tunnel together? And they lived happily ever after?" Kara said giving her best damn answer.

"If they happened to be in some Disney movie they would've ended just like that." Lena husked deep and intimidating and Kara felt embarrassed for the nth time in the duration of their 30-minute talk. There’s something about the woman, definitely something that even Kara’s most curious self is scared of finding out.

"Orpheus has been impatient and doubted Hades' words, they were there, a few steps away from the light but, he gave in to the temptation of looking back. And there he saw his beautiful wife. But as soon as he laid eyes on her, the shadows of the dead engulfed her back and Eurydice was gone forever."

"If you are Orpheus, Kara, would you give in to the temptation?"

"I don't know - I'm not sure."

"Of course you would give in, but if your love was true as they say it, ideally you can wait. So whatever you do Kara, don't look back. Because whoever follows you would always be there if they're the right one for you, if the time comes and you don't see them behind you, they're the ones unworthy not you." Lena sermons as she turned the easel facing Kara, and Kara saw herself on the canvas. Charcoaled to perfection. Gracefully sitting on the stool.

"Welcome to my world Kara. At the end of your apprenticeship I’m expecting a painting from you, something to commemorate the whole three months you spent learning from my works. What I want you to do is do a depiction of the story I told you, on a paired canvas, tell me their whole story in just two canvas." Lena challenged. Kara was perplexed as to how she is going to do it. "You have the whole three months to do it if you're worried." Lena said before standing up and walking out of the workshop, Kara just watched her as she did.

"Oh and another thing, Kara. Have you ever modeled for anybody?" Lena turned halfway out the door, the sun setting behind her.

"No, Miss Luthor."

"Good. Because I want to paint you."

"Miss Luthor, that would be a -"

"Naked." Lena added cutting any kind of reasoning Kara has up her sleeves. Kara was frozen, the race of her heart and the zoo was back in her stomach when she heard what Lena said.

She then saw Lena removed the robe again, mindless of the people who'll see her, if there'd be any. Before diving into the black pool with so much grace Kara couldn’t begin to describe, washing away all the paint that has dried up on her body.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and their strange story continues here...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some people might read triggers in this chapter, be careful.

"Kara, come with me I'll show you the only actual perk of being my apprentice for the next 3 months." Lena said as she entered the kitchen, her hair is pulled up in a loose bun, at least she's wearing something now, a knitted cardigan over a white fitted tank top and some floral flowy pants.  _ Damn, she's hot _ .

Kara scrambled to follow her out of the kitchen when Sam nodded that she should. The blonde was sleepless last night, the thought of Lena wanting to paint her naked kept Kara up until she passed out around three in the morning.

Kara found her waiting for her by the foot of the stairs, phone at hand she's frowning and shaking her head. She instantly put her phone by the counter against the stairs when she felt my presence and nodded for me to follow her upstairs.

The second level of the house was consisted of four bedrooms, the biggest one is Lena's, which opens to the wide veranda overlooking the front yard and rounding until half the back with the lake view. The room next to Lena's was locked and was labeled “ _ na taobhanna eile _ ”. Then there's the mini library with Sam's office slash her room and personal space, and then there's mine the entertainment room, because there was where the 72" television was situated.

Lena stopped by the locked room with the non-English label and pulled a key from her pants' pocket, she slowly turned the locks and the heavy door creaks open, the room was sun filled.

"Welcome to the  _ na taobhanna eile _ , that's how I collectively call them." She said stepping aside to let me in first. I hesitated at first but she looked at me funny so I forced myself not to act any more awkward.

“ _ na taobhanna eile? _ ” Kara huffs not knowing if she pronounced the foreign words correctly.

“It’s Irish for  _ the other sides. _ ” Lena short explains as she motions for Kara to go ahead of her.

Kara obliged and walked passed her and entered the huge room. Kara’s eyes almost bulge out to series of canvases, the small and medium ones are hanged against the huge expanse of the wall while the large ones are carefully stacked on one side. The two gray walls looked like they were taken out of the National Museum’s Renaissance and Baroque era.

"Wow." Kara blurted as she take in the huge number of works Lena already has.

"These are the totality of my works." The artist said standing distant by the door.

"Will you tell the titles and the stories behind them?" Kara asked, almost like a child asking for another scoop of ice cream

"Of course, that's part of the perk, let's start with that one -" Lena said a matter-of-factly pointing to one of the biggest canvas in the room it covered half of one wall.

"I call that, ' _ The Inventor _ '." Lena said, the painting stood about ten feet tall, it shows the back of a man surrounded by steampunk machines, he's wearing a stained white dress shirt lousily tucked in his black pants and he's sporting a suspender, he's focused on something on the level of his crotch but the thing he's working on was covered by his body, his right hand was raised holding a steel mallet.

"I painted that when I was in my junior year in college, my first large canvas." She added.

"What was he inventing?" I asked not taking my eyes off the man.

"I painted that when I had my first heartbreak, she cheated on me. She was good at making excuses, weaving believable stories and delivering flowery words."

"But that is a man."

"That's a simple gender swap, Kara. Look behind you -" The painter ordered and Kara did, where she saw another ten foot tall canvas, with the same scene as ' _ The Inventor _ ' only now he's facing me, he's left hand was bleeding tightly clutching on a metal human heart, his right arm was still raised high, but what caught my attention was the metal table behind him, where a robotic looking woman was laid lifeless.

"I call this, ' _ The Invention _ '." She said and Kara almost instantly get why.

"You were the robot on the table behind him." Kara huffs in realization.

"Yes, with every lie she told me, every story she made up and every fake sweetness she showed, she slowly turned me into a lifeless cog, with a metal heart. And when I was already over her, there she goes pounding hard on my already metal cold heart, asking for another chance." Lena explained, Kara thought she was almost reminiscent but the painter only shrugs and moves on to the next masterpiece right next to the invention.

"Next, that medium sized one, I call that ' _ The Bleeding _ '." Lena said making Kara instantly dart her eyes to the medium canvas, the one she’s been searching for online before. That’s where she saw a woman in a black dress and black veil, she's holding a scarlet red cloth against her chest, and she's weeping.

"Why  _ The Bleeding _ ?"

"That woman was my mother, I painted that after my father died, I never saw my mom cry before, and when dad died, she wept for days, it's like her heart was bleeding for him." She explained, she looks like she remembers that time all too vividly.

The rest of the smaller paintings according to her came to her as a surprise, she would just seat by the workshop or row her boat down the lake or swim on the pool and she'll have the vision that will get the ball rolling and viola another masterpiece is hanged by the wall, or sold at an auction, or donated to a charity. 

One thing is prevalent in all of her paintings though, they all scream a certain level of sorrow, defeat, resignation and pain. They speak of how broken and chaotic Lena is on the inside, something Kara couldn’t begin to explain why or how.

"Miss Luthor?" Kara called out as they exit the room, after full two hours of Kara asking everything she could think of on the spot.

"Hmm?"

"Why do you welcome apprenticeship every year, given that you gain nothing from it?"

"How sure are you that I gain nothing from them?" She darkly smirked making Kara a bit uncomfortable about even asking such question.

"Uhhh, do you?" Kara puzzled.

"No. I don't gain any profit from them if that's what's bothering you, but I do gain one thing from them." She nodded with satisfaction, Kara wonders more than getting her question answered though, so she determined to find out what that one thing is.

"What?" Kara asked, Lena takes a deep breath then pointed her apprentice downstairs and walked ahead of her so Kara could follow her instead.

"Since I started accepting apprentices way back in 2010, I’ve had five pairs of really good apprentices they're all fresh from the oven and are ready to dig into what I teach them." She continued as they got out of the house and towards the workshop.

"I gain not only a fresh view from them - " She trailed off as she opened the workshop with another key, she then lead the blonde up to the makeshift second floor of it, where I saw another series of canvases, which were wilder. Wilder mainly because they were all whole body portraits of naked women. Kara is starting to fidget on her own, she was reminded of the pending request Lena has on her.

"What the hell!" Kara hissed as they got to the top step of the second floor. She didn't notice the canvases being there yesterday maybe because all she saw was Lena and her nakedness, and she shouldn’t be faulted at that, right?

"I call them the  _ 'The Con Virgins _ '" Lena explained as she lead Kara closer to the softly sun lit paintings.

There where 4 canvas:

The first 10x12 foot, was of a woman on a dark background whose eyes was blindfolded, she was being hugged by some of the darkness from behind her, a shadow was covering her private parts.

The second one was another blindfolded woman, she's in some kind of a dungeon, both her arms are raised above her head by chains and feet were held down by metal balls, she doesn't have any covers at all.

The third woman was sleeping in bed, surrounded by a number of men and women. Only stained sheets covered her from the waist down but she looked eerily satisfied.

The fourth one was the most disturbing, because the woman's wearing nothing but a crucifix necklace the ones worn by priests, her mouth was covered by a man's hand, only half of his body was shown but he's clearly wearing a priest clothing.

"They were my apprentices, they modeled by will and without pay. The first one, I individually call  _ Annie _ , she was a victim of rape by her own father. She was threatened and kept in the dark too long she never thought she'd be rescued. Or that she’s going to be able to survive the whole ordeal." Lena revealed.

"She honestly told you that? I mean how can you make her tell you something that personal? You're a stranger." Kara scoffs.

"I have my ways." Lena darkly retorted as she scans Kara, who awkwardly averted her eyes to the portraits again.

"The second one was  _ Magdalene. _ She's a slave of her fetish." Lena added her voice gives me chills. "The third one was  _ Veronica. _ She was a Nymphomaniac." She continued and I almost gawked. "And the fourth one was  _ Mary _ . She was having an affair with the young priest from their parish."

"Isn’t this blasphemous? You used the name Mary for a woman who's having an affair with a priest?" I accused adamantly, Lena in turn twistedly bares her perfect teeth in a full smile, her jaw working up some muscles not to laugh at Kara’s face.

"The first three women wanted me to give them other names you know but, the fourth one was brave enough. She let me use her real name." She confidently answered.

"Wow. And what do you get from this?" I sarcastically asked, knowing these paintings are almost against human rights.

"They're going to be shipped tomorrow for an exhibit in London, for a campaign -"

"What campaign exactly?" Kara asked almost rolling my eyes at the National Artist.

"A campaign against, violence against women and their children. After the exhibit, these paintings will be auctioned, by piece or as a whole, and the proceeds would go to the victims." She proudly said, and Kara was guilty for judging yet again by the tip of the iceberg.

"How about you Kara, in the scale of 0 to Roxanne -"

"Who's Roxanne?" Kara frowned making Lena chuckle and shake her head.

"Roxanne in that song by The Police?"

"The prostitute?"

"Ahuh, in the scale of 0 to Roxanne, Kara -" She trailed of as she motioned closer to her. Lena hovered close and by Kara’s ear, the latter could instantly feel the churn of her insides and her knees slowly weakening, her breath was warm and sweet. Lena smells as great as she looks in her comfortable clothes.

"Ahuh?" I hummed.

"How much of virgin are you?" She whispered closer, her lips almost brushing against Kara’s earlobe.

"I - - uhh - -" Kara sputtered in a recoil away from the raven-haired woman.

"Why would I tell you about that?" Kara retorted.

"What would you rather do? Show me?" Lena fake innocence and my eyes widened, irking Kara even more. Kara’s jaw hanged and she was frozen. Embarrassment boiling down her throat.

"Never mind -" Lena shrugged after a few seconds before she started to descend the stairs.

"Wait!" Kara called out as she found her voice again.

"What is it Kara?" Lena asked raising an eyebrow a bit.

"Where's the other half of The One Once Loved?"

"Why would I tell you about that?" She countered, almost abhorred by Kara’s audacity to ask.

"What would you rather do? Show me?" Kara returned making the woman thickly chuckle.

"Smart. Well, to help you sleep tonight,I’ll have you know that that one’s reserved for the finale." She said before continuing her descent.

If there's one thing Kara is sure right now, aside from her growing attraction to the painter, and her wetness after the close encounter. She knows once she caters that churning feeling in the pit of her stomach she'll be a mess after three months.

Kara started working on her paired canvas, but she just can't seem to come up with any good idea or inspiration for it. The days started to pass in an even pace, each day though is another day for Kara to find out new things about her mentor and its adding fuel to the spark she's trying to kill.

+

One day, while they're both in the workshop, Lena silently laid a 20x20 square canvas on the floor. She's fluidly moving around her workshop and Kara's closely watching from behind her own suspensions of her 10x12.

"Kara." Lena called, and the simple gesture gave Kara ripples of butterflies in her stomach. She’s been staying in this place with Sam and Lena for almost a month now, but she hasn’t came into terms with the way she naturally reacts to America’s greatest painter of 2019 yet.

"Yes, Lena?" Kara has already acquired part of Lena's trust to be allowed to address her by her first name now but, Kara’s still trying to get the hang of it.

"Do you dance? Particularly Waltz?" Lena asked as she filled a metal bucket with water from the tap.

"I know how to, but I'm not that good." Kara answered not taking her eyes off of her canvas yet.

"Take off your shoes and sit by the high stool." Lena ordered with such reckless abandon, Kara’s slowly getting used to by the day.

Lena Luthor, National Artist, sole owner of LuthorCorp since 2018 (after her brother was incarcerated for conducting unethical experiments on humans that resulted to hundreds of deaths from 2015-2017), and multi-billionaire sure know exactly what she wants and how she wants it. It amazes and borderline irritates Kara tenfolds.

"I’m sorry, what?" Kara unsure if Lena was serious about what she just told her to do.

"Take off your shoes and sat by high stool, you’ll help me paint." Lena said like it's the most normal thing they are about to do.

Kara takes a few minutes to consider, Lena has never asked anyone to help her paint before. Sam confirmed that, back in their first wine night. Now Kara’s curious why there’s a sudden need for her help, so she obliged, sat on the high stool, and waited. Lena then pulled a lower chair and sat in front of Kara. Although puzzled Kara kept still, quiet, and damn conscious. Lena took the damp cloth from the bucket of water and took one of Kara's feet and started cleaning it.

"Lena -" Kara almost whimpered, sensitive with Lena's gentle touches.

"Don't move. Be still." Lena ordered not letting go of Kara's foot.

"I can just do it - my - self." Kara forced restraining a moan. Kara's ticklish, and what Lena's doing turns her on. Weird shit, Kara thought. It was absolutely nothing sexual, right?

"I'll have to put on some wax on your foot before you step on the canvas so let me." Lena explained as she takes the other foot.

Kara was under a spell of carnal infliction. If you put it in other words, she's aroused. Damn it. Kara thought. She bit her lip and closed her eyes and just let Lena finish. After a few minutes Lena cleared her throat with a satisfied smirk, irritating Kara to a fault by the fact that she’s into Lena and Lena for the love of god knows and is smug about it.

"Now, step on the wax box, not on the floor." Lena said offering her left hand; Kara clutched onto her and dipped her feet on the box.

"Good girl." Lena said, "Now on the canvas there."

After settling Kara by the small strip of canvas Lena cleaned and dipped on the wax box as well. She hopped on the other strip of canvas close to where the buckets of navy blue, black and white were. She spilled an ample amount of every color there was, pressing something on the tablet controller of the whole workshop, an instrumental of Hallelujah started to flood them, and then finally she offered her hand again to Kara.

"Come on, dance with me." Lena said.

And they did. They waltzed. Lena expertly maneuvered their every move, spreading the paint with their feet, which serve as their paint brushes. Lena made sure she held Kara firmly against her body, determined to direct their all throughout.

Lena clearly knows when a person is attracted to her, she's good at reading people and Kara is her new open book, the girl's transparency ticks Lena up real bad. But something is definitely on the way, Lena vanished her ability to love, all she knows is that, she can consume and posses, she's dominant, she preys - and Kara is a willing victim.

Lena undoubtedly isn't a saint; she's absolutely artistically divine but, she can be inhumanely twisted to a person who ticks on her attention real well. She loves to test people until they break and leave her, telling herself to always know better, because no normal human being will see her, a Luthor, as more than just her wealth and surname.

So for everyone's benefit, Lena distance herself enough but, she tortures them with the idea that she's actually palpable. If you compare her to anything, she's that prey-attracting, light attached on the head of an angler fish, she draws attention, and she helps the predator get a prey. Even if her feelings for that one person are intense, she can't give them what they deserve emotionally and Lena knows that well enough, so she leaves them as broken as she is after.

They waltzed gracefully through the whole 20x20 and Kara's losing her sanity somewhere on her dampness; Lena utterly intoxicates her and she can't just stop herself and snap out of the bounding spell Lena's body, looks, and scent made.

After almost an hour of waltzing Lena gracefully guided Kara off of the canvas and back to the floor. For Kara it felt final, it felt as though the enchantment suddenly ended and she's back to reality. She's secretly panting, and not ready to let go.

Lena heard Kara gawked at the outcome of the most sensual waltz ever done.

"Fuck." Kara cussed as she digests the abstract. "How did you do that?" Kara turned to Lena accusingly again.

"We danced, that's all." The woman shrugged as she started cleaning up.

Lena just shrugged off the splendid abstract emblazoned with the prominence of the colors of the night on the fabric, one look from a normal person's point of view, and they'll think that each stroke was made with foam or a roller, but it's not.

"We'll call that, ' _ The First Time _ '." Lena said while she's choosing strips of pallets for the painting’s temporary frame. The close comparison of what they made is Van Gogh's Starry Night, but in a whole new level of sensuality for Kara knew how it was made.

"Why?" Kara raised an eyebrow as she removes the paint from her feet.

"Have you ever waltzed on a canvas with paint on your feet?"

"No."

"Neither do I, so this is our first." Lena meaningfully nodded as she anchored the framed canvas to a suspension to dry.

Kara didn't know what to say or how to react with what just happened between her and Lena, first thing she's sure of is that, she's thoroughly drawn to her mentor, and second thing, she almost came. Just like that.

+

Kara's enamored by the rain, and tonight's one of those nights of heavy yet even and calm downpour and she's not going to let it pass without getting soaked by it.

Kara ran out with only an oversized white long-sleeved shirt on, her father's. She basked in the wide lawn like a kid, remembering how she and her adoptive dad and sister used to do it every time it rains back when she was just seven or eight.

While Kara couldn't hide her youth and the remnants of her innocence, somewhere back inside the house a pair of doe eyes is watching her. Like a wolf in a hunt, waiting for that critical moment to strike; but the wolf knows how much she dear Kara. No matter how hard she tried ignoring the fact, she fancies her big time to even prey on her like what she did with  _ Annie, Elise, Magdalene,  _ even _ Mary.  _ Kara's not for one night of warmth nor fun. Kara speaks of longevity, of forever, of commitments in the wolf's eyes although she's a helpless, submissive, lost sheep. Kara's lucky she earned mercy and compassion from the predator, but she could never escape the ordeal. And as the wolf inch closer to where the sheep was -

"You shouldn't be getting yourself soaked out here, Kara." Lena on her spell bounded tone.

"I - - uhh - - I just love it." Kara turned around forgetting that she wore no underwear and the white long-sleeved shirt is now almost see through. Lena can easily make out Kara's anatomy it's inevitable.

"You'll get sick." Lena said advancing towards Kara; the latter didn't move a muscle. Lena held up the black umbrella in between them.

"I can handle myself." Kara stood her ground.

"I know you could." Lena softly said, looking her deep in the eyes, their faces a breath away.

"What do you want from me?" Kara nervously asked, but braving it out.

"I don't know exactly, but if I'll compare you to anything, Kara you are the fire in an oil lamp." Lena said, caressing Kara's cheek softly, as if she knows that what she's doing makes Kara tremble.

"And I am the baby moth. You draw me to you, real good, and I shouldn't be entertaining the thought of getting closer to you, but look at me now." Lena whispered, Kara's already lost with Lena's touch, it's strong, firm, yet gentle at the same time. But even before Kara could just pull Lena's face and kiss the hell out of her, the artist was gone. 


	3. Chapter 3

 

"Congratulations on your first month of being Lena's apprentice Kara, I see that you are already halfway the final task she asked you to do." Sam smiled as she welcome Kara at the kitchen.  _ Thank God  _ for Sam, cause if it wasn’t for her always smiling and friendly demeanour, the whole month wouldn’t have been the easiest. What with all of the various ways Lena has tested not only her talent and skill in painting but, also her self control.

"Wow you counted? And you cooked?" Kara marveled at the three plates of deliciously looking Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce with mushroom soup for appetizers, and fruit salad for dessert with some champagne on the side.

"It's tradition, for every apprentice's first month." Sam shrugged as she pours one of the most expensive bottles of wine ever made on their flutes.

"Did she ask you to do all this?"

"No, it's my prerogative, knowing my boss is the ice queen." Sam winked.

"Thank you, Sam." Kara smiled.

"You're welcome." Sam smiled back; they sat by the table just in time Lena entered the kitchen.

"Oh, it's been a month already?" Lena acknowledged.

"Ahuh, and Kara is doing great right? I saw her impressions and abstracts, also your collaboration, that - -  _ The First Time _ ? I must say it is sterling." Sam praised, only to have Lena slightly shrug it off like all of Kara’s hard work is still beneath her.

"She's fine." Lena blurted, Kara felt like the child in the middle, Sam's the always proud mama and Lena's the mommy with the higher standards.

"Have you learned anything?" Lena turned to Kara with an arched eyebrow, making Kara scramble to produce an answer.

"Y-yes of course, a lot actually." Kara blurted nervously, remembering the first time she saw Lena - - naked, the waltz, the back sides, the intimate distance every time Lena supervises her while she paints, the boat rowing on the lake to pastel down the sunrise this morning, above all, Kara wanted to answer yes it is to fall for you idiotically.

"See Lena?" Sam enthusiastically said as always.

She's Lena's yang, the light, she balance her out. And Kara's wondering why they have nothing romantic going on between them, they seem to be getting along so well, they live under one roof; they have breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday together for the past three years so it should've been unavoidable, or Kara just know nothing about their whole story, and she’s judging by the tip of it all again.

"We'll see about that, I haven't seen any progress on her Orpheus and Eurydice painting though." Lena pondered, Sam just clicked her tongue and smiled.

"She'll stage you when she finish. Right Kara?" Sam assured and turned to Kara, and even in doubt of that ' _ staging Lena _ ', Kara nodded and smiled.

"If you say so." Lena said still unimpressed, making almost all Kara’s hopes to impress vanish in an instant.

+

After dinner, Lena went out to the workshop, she's working on another abstract that she's going to ship to Singapore for another exhibit and auction, together with the abstract she painted with her whole body she called  _ The Masturbation,  _ and the abstract we waltzed on,  _ The First Time. _

Sam and Kara decided to take a slow Friday night and hang by the pool with two bottles of beer, something they don't usually do but, tonight being the young apprentice’s first month calls for a little celebration.

"Sam, can I ask you something?" Kara asked while they’re waddling their legs on the warmed water.

"Yeah sure, what is it?"

"How's Lena as someone you've lived with for the past three years?" Kara asked.

"Hmm, Lena as a normal person? Not the National Artist and the critically acclaimed painter who stirs the industry because of her obscure paintings? Or Lena the sole owner of the biggest science and technology company in the world?" Sam dissected.

"Ahuh, exactly all that." Kara nervously chuckled.

"Lena's kind of my sister in a sense. When her dad died, her adoptive mom Lillian, succumb into depression. Not wanting anything from both Lena and her own son Lex, Lillian went home to the Luthor Manor. Hiding the fact that her health was rapidly deteriorating. Lillian passed away in her sleep, 5 years before Lex spiralled down in his own darkness. My mother and I took Lena in, she has no one left. Being best friends since 6th grade, her lawyers trusted our family enough, to allow her to stay with us. Well, that’s after she finished her studies in two prestigious boarding school in London and Dublin, and then at the MIT."

"Oh. And all this time I was wondering if you guys have nothing going on between the two of you -"

"Lena and me!?" Sam exclaimed and laughed

"Ahuh? I didn't know you guys are almost sisters, I mean you’d look like a good looking couple."

"And even if we're not, she's not my type, but I got to give it to her, she's intelligent, artistic to the point of near delusion, she's hot and captivating, that's why everyone is drawn to her without her seducing them on purpose. Unless you catch her attention real good, then you're dead." Sam explained, and Kara would want to protest on  _ 'Lena not purposefully seducing' _ the people around her.

"Dead? Why?"

"Only figuratively. Lena's different. If you compare her to flower she's a Calla Lily or a Veratrum, pretty to look at but poisonous when touched. She draws people to her naturally, maybe because she's beautiful and all but then she'll unintentionally hurt them in the end." Sam supplied, as she finishes her first bottle of beer.

"Is that a warning?" Kara teased.

"I know you're drawn to her, at least one of her past apprentices was drawn to her right from the start. And she knows that all too well, even before you're able to admit it to yourself Kara, Lena knows pretty well when someone's attracted to her and she tests them."

"Now that's definitely a warning."

"One real warning? Don't get too close and don't look back."

"Don't look back?"

"Like the Orpheus and Eurydice tale, remember?"

"You know?"

"She has always wanted a splendid depiction of that tale, but none was able to paint it to her standards. No one can surpass her own depiction."

"What's hers?"

"The One Once Loved."

+

"Thank you for gracing and opening the exhibit Lena, you know how much this means to me."

"No worries, Jack, for her." Lena timidly said as the 35 years old, Jack Spheer, son of Mr. Arthur Spheer, the veteran British-American patriotic painter gratuitously hugged Lena.  _ Wait for her? _

They are at National City University - College of Fine Arts, for the ribbon cutting of Jack's first charitable exhibit for the University's orphanage. Jack was from the university himself; his and Lena's father were both part of the brotherhood called the Freemasons, so their families are pretty close.

The drive from the suburban to the city was tremendously uncomfortable and bumpy but seating beside Lena the whole ride in her Jaguar for Kara was the best tremendously uncomfortable ride ever. Even though Lena was the most hostile road trip buddy, and despite the deafening silence, Kara's fine with it. No matter how pathetic she thinks this high school crush feeling she gets from Lena, she knows there's something deeply burrowing inside her for the painter. It’s just getting more frustrating and hopeless by the day.

The exhibit has two parts the first room was called  _ Child's Play _ , but contrary to the meaning of the phrase, the room was filled with medium canvases of children in black in white, doing things they're not supposed to be doing at the very young age.

Some were working in a fireworks factory without any safety gear, others were sleeping on the sidewalk, others were involved in gang wars, in prostitution, and still others are in some children boxing in the slums of some Asian country. Jack's a hyper-realistic painter, so his creations are realistically disturbing especially the macabre of each, you can easily mistake it to be photographed but it's not.

The second room was called,  _ In Her Memory, _ the room was filled with the same hyper-realism only now the set of eight canvases have the same subject. A woman, not only a woman but, a beautiful one, she almost resembled the 20 year old Meryl Streep at first look, but with the softer jawline and less crooked nose.

"She was Jack's younger sister." Lena suddenly said when she noticed Kara was looking for the information tablet of the paintings.

"Oh, she's beautiful." Kara commented.

"She was." Lena affirmed.

"Why doesn't she have any information by the entrance?"

"I think Jack wanted that to be private. But I'll tell you about her, if you're curious." Lena offered they're standing in front of the biggest canvas, where the woman was standing in front of a huge fountain, she's wearing a chiffon and satin white dress, being carried by the wind to the right. Her smile was genuinely pretty it reached her eyes.

"You sure?"

"Ahuh, her name was Kate, she was three years younger than me, she was great in abstracts, she doesn't want to be told what to do or what not to do on her own art. She has her own way for everything. She shattered the principles. We grew up together; we spent our childhood summers together, with her brother Jack, and my brother Lex." Lena explained, as she almost tenderly looked at the woman's face, as if she's playing memories in her head as she tells Kara about Kate.

"What's the cause of her death?" Kara asked, Lena didn't answer right away "You know, because the exhibit title is  _ In Her Memory. _ " Kara elaborated.

"Me." Lena uttered, looking sharply at Kara, before turning to look at the canvas again.

"What do you mean you? You killed her?" Kara hissed closely to Lena careful not to let anyone but Lena to hear.

"You see Kara, she was one of the first two apprentices I accepted in 2010, Kate and her best friend were, but her best friend bailed out, and she was left with me. Her dad has nothing against it though cause he knows I could take care of her. You remember the woman in the second canvas of  _ The Con Virgins?  _ She was Magdalene."

"She's the one with the fetish?!" Kara hissed.

"Ahuh, the famous chains and whips excite her. Back then my apprenticeship program spanned for six months. Sam was working as Lex’s executive assistant then, so we're alone in the house." Lena paused making sure Kara's listening to her, they're already sitting by the stools in the center facing the paintings.

"It was on the third month when she told me that she's in love with me, I wasn't surprised though because we're close since we were kids, but we had a bad start, we entered an abusive relationship."

"Oh." Kara was speechless, because Kate's story was the same with what Lucy did to her, her best friend bailed out and she was left with Lena, and it's not even the third month but she thinks she's already enamored by the painter. Her heart started racing, scared of what she might be getting into.

"You see Kara, I couldn't give her what she wanted, and when the relationship ended on the sixth month, it was around the third week after she left my house that Jack phoned in to tell me that she committed suicide. No one knows what happened back in my house. No one knows about anything about us." Lena explained sounding more remorseful now that she’s telling the real story out loud.

"I don’t think I follow - did she - hurt you?"

"I didn't know how to really love, I mistaken it for lust, and no Kara, she didn’t. It was me who did. I didn't hurt her physically though I was just emotionally incapable, which tortured her idealism and romanticism. And when she died, that's when I realized that a part of me did love her. Maybe I was just so twisted and had everything misconstrued." Lena ended before standing up, leaving Kara stunned, mouth agape with incredulity.

“Lena.” Kara called out making the woman half turn back.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t you’re incapable, or twisted. I think you were scared.” Kara braved to say, making Lena look her with a certain amount of surprise. Lena took a deep breath before turning to leave like she intended.

+

The drive home was heavier than it was before, Kara was conflicted after the talk, she was in an emotional shamble, the talk with Sam before was already unusual and mind opening but the talk with Lena was equally disconcerting.

Lena wasn't bothered though, she knows from now on Kara will stop liking her, and she was able to save Kara from herself with the revelations although, she's still drawn to the apprentice herself. And in that moment Lena knew she'll fuck up again. But if she doesn't kill the spark now, after three months if there's not another Kate, there'll be another darker depiction for the freaking Greek mythology.

Kara couldn't sleep that night, she's curious of how Lena could hurt Kate, and how Kate could love Lena even after she hurt her, or might as well abused her and her own feelings are caught up somewhere she couldn’t reach. She got in the bed around ten but, it's already midnight and she's still not comfortable let alone sleepy. She then decided to have a beer thinking the alcohol could help her sleep.

Even on her favorite pajamas of oversized dress shirts with nothing underneath, she made her way downstairs. When she was already in the kitchen she noticed the light in the workshop was still on, she thought maybe Lena's still finishing the third canvas for her series. So she just proceeded to get what she came for, but even before she could close the fridge.

"Can't sleep?" A voice startled her and Kara instantly turned.

"Lena." She whispered surprised by their proximity. Lena is standing too close, she's already invading Kara's personal space, but she doesn't seem bothered by it, if anything she seems to be enjoying it.

"Wha - what do you want from me?" Kara asked, tightly clutching on the bottle of Heineken.

"I don't know Kara, you tell me." Lena challenged, subtly taking in Kara's current state, as she looks Kara deep into her eyes like she always does. Kara was suddenly hypnotized and the next thing she knew, she was telling Lena her heart's desire.

"I - - I - - I'm falling for you. I mean not falling, maybe I've already fallen for you." Kara blurted out, exposing herself, submitting. Lena seem to be pleased of what she heard and raised her eyebrow

"You do?"

"Y - yes."

"You don't know what you're talking about, and you don't know what you're getting yourself into." Lena said shrugging of Kara's declaration of love as she started to walk to the back door.

"Then tell me what am I getting myself into!" Kara braved.

"I can't tell you -" Lena answered her hand already clutching the knob of the screen-door.

"Then show me -" Kara pleaded, "You are all over head Lena - save me."

And even before Kara could say another word, Lena walked back to where Kara was in front of the fridge, she easily move a chair from the dining table and in a split second both her hands are tightly clutching Kara's wrists up her head.

"Are you sure you want me to show you what you're getting yourself into Kara?" Lena closely whispered on Kara's ears. Kara was shortly breathing with all the sudden and quick movements Lena showed her.

"Y - yes." Kara huffed, she was wondering why Lena moved a chair close where they were.

"You are in trouble." Lena whispered again, giving Kara feathery kisses on her neck, Kara's body stiffens, her eyes widen, and she bit her lip to stop herself from moaning.

"In a huge one, Kara." Lena continued as she pushed Kara firmly against the double-door fridge. Only her left hand's tightly holding both of Kara's wrists now.

"I wouldn’t mind." Kara whispered back, Lena thickly chuckled as she stopped from the feathery kisses and looked at Kara again.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Lena shook her head lightly.

“I’m not stupid, if you don’t like me back you wouldn’t be here.” Kara dared.

Before Kara could taunt her even more, with her right index finger Lena opened the loose buttons of Kara's dress shirt in one slide, exposing Kara's nakedness in the dim of the night. Her white skin almost sparkled when the moonlight hit her. Lena scanned Kara once before she pulled the chair close to them, Lena slipped her right leg in between Kara's and lifted Kara's left leg up until it reached the chair, spreading Kara's thighs in the process. Lena's right hand then traveled to Kara's firm and beautiful breasts.

"Lena -" Kara breathes, she was exposed and the torture Lena is giving her makes her crave for more.

"Do you know how beautiful you are?" Lena asked as she palmed one of Kara's bosoms. Her eyes already dark with desire, and controlling.

"I - uhh -" Kara was only able to moan her answer. She was already enraptured and she knows she couldn't escape it anymore. Lena's hand then traced down to the nether regions of Kara's wholeness.

"You are one horny apprentice Kara. Really bad." Lena darkly teased as she played her fingers on Kara's folds.

"Lena -" Kara hissed, feeling her body violently reacting on Lena's touch.

"What is it Kara?" Lena asked with her thumb circling on Kara's clit.

With her arms above her head Kara could just motioned her head to reach Lena's lips but the painter was quick to move away.

"Oh no Kara." Lena smirked and shook her head

"No one touches me back. I do all of it. And because you tried to do so, I will have to punish you." Lena reprimanded, as she released Kara's wrists and letting her leg down, as if snapping back to the normal Lena that she is.

"You're not gonna cum tonight." Lena said with a click of her tongue.

She then left Kara and walked out to the workshop again, it took Kara a few more minutes to realize what just happened and when she did, she was so ashamed of herself. She wobbled out of the kitchen with the bottle of beer loosely clenched by her left hand and her right hand clutching on her shirt to keep them closed. After finishing her bottle of beer and touching herself under the sheets with the thought of Lena in her head, Kara was finally able to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

It was three weeks in the second month, and everyday went on by placidly, after the incident that night, the two repulsed each other like both them are magnetic north poles. Lena did that on purpose; if Kara couldn't control her feelings for her then Lena thought she might as well act on it.

She's always out; instead of sending Sam for the Singapore exhibit, she attended the opening herself. With her three-part painting she collectively called  _ La Copulare;  _ part one was called,  _ The Masturbation _ it was the explosion of the fauvist colors red, yellow, orange and was margined by the color black. It was the one painted with her whole body. Part two was called,  _ The First Time  _ it was the calm and invigorating scene of the colors of the night she painted with Kara's help. And the last part was called,  _ The Orgasm,  _ it was where the wild colors of the first painting and the refreshing colors of the second collided in one magnificent sunset. She finished painting it after her encounter with Kara.

After a week in Singapore and successfully auctioning the three paintings separately she came home. Kara was already halfway the second canvas of her two-sided painting, which she doesn't want Lena to see yet so she strictly told Lena not to meddle around her artwork.

"Kara." Lena called out to Kara who was on the other side of the workshop where her canvases were suspended. It's back facing the main door.

"Hmm?" Kara hummed totally busy with her masterpiece.

"I think it's time you see the other part of  _ The One Once Loved. _ " Lena casually said, which surprised Kara.

"A - are you sure?" Kara asked peeking from behind her canvases, Lena’s doing it again, she just couldn’t totally keep herself away from the blonde and she doesn’t know what’s making it so hard.

"That's what you want from the start right? And besides your apprenticeship would end three weeks from now so might as well." Lena said.

"Alright." Kara answered putting her paintbrush down. And walk towards Lena seemingly unaffected of Lena anymore, which ticks on Lena's ego but she let it roll.

They walk together to the house, Kara was a few steps behind but Lena could still hear her. They went straight to the second floor, Kara was already expecting Lena will open the 'back sides' room but she was wrong, because Lena stopped by her own room. Lena opened the door and they were welcomed by the sweet scent of Lena's perfume and Kara suddenly forgot how she hated Lena for not making her cum, for playing with her feelings, and toying her around.

"Go ahead." Lena said nodding for Kara to go inside the room first. Kara then walked towards the room scanning its entirety in one go before spotting the painting leaning against the wall beside the sliding door to the veranda.

"That is the second part of it." Lena said leaning against the door, as she let Kara marvel and gasp on the majestically morbid painting.

"I-is that -" Kara trailed

"Yes Kara. That's me." Lena confirmed.

The second half of  _ The One Once Loved _ much morbid than its back, Lucy was right. Like Jack's works, it was painted hyper-realistically. It shows a woman, which is Lena with a longer wavy hair, tousled gorgeously everywhere, her head was held a little up high, mouth agape, and eyes wide out of horror, tears streaming down her face. Her face was a painful beautiful mess, but what's obscure about the whole painting was what Lena has been clutching on her chest, no she wasn't holding something against it, she was grasping at her own self, trying to keep her violently severed chest together. Bold scarlet hues gushing out from the deep cut. Another feature of the painting was what's behind Lena, the room door was open, and someone was walking out to the lighted part of the tunnel like hole, the person was holding something on her hand, and the trail of blood was behind her, and that person was partly looking back to where Lena was.

"Majority of the people I was once with, left me behind because of my selfishness and possessiveness towards them. I scare them away eventually, other times I treat my partner as a tool, literally, I use them for my own selfish purposes without giving anything back adequately, so I always end up as the one once loved. This is my depiction of the Orpheus and Eurydice’s tale, every time they look back as they say goodbye, there's a certain finality to it, and I was vanished from their life forever." Lena explained.

"This is what you are getting yourself into Kara, I am not some romantically driven person. My works are the direct representation of who I am, they are dark, twisted, obscure, disturbing and morbid because that's what's going on in my mind. And I don't know how to change that. All I'm saying is I don't want you to turn out to be another Kate after the apprenticeship." Lena added.

"But I don't see anything wrong about you being a little possessive?" Kara stated not wanting to believe the reality of Lena's perversions.

"Don't you see that gush from my chest in the painting? Kara I deliberately did that to myself in that situation, it should show you how sick I could be." Lena countered.

"But I'm already in love with you. And I can't make it stop. Can't you just give me one chance, I offer myself to you Lena, just one chance. And if I fail to make you feel and realize what you are really capable of doing then I'll leave."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Paint me."

"What?"

"I want you to paint me, like what you told me the first time we met, naked."

"Don't you know how much you turn me on when you are?" Lena challenged.

"I know, and I don't care, if you can't save me from you, then own me."

"Kara -"

"We have our own perversions Lena, and I am attracted to broken people, and no matter how unnatural this feels, it is who I am. You're not the only one who's twisted here." Kara retorted eagerly trying to make her point.

It's true, they are both broken in their own way and only a broken person knows how to mend another broken one, or so Kara thought.

That afternoon, while Sam was away for her day-off, Kara helped Lena get the things she needed to paint her in Lena's room. Lena intends to paint her on a large portrait so it's going to be a long session.

After setting everything up, Lena waited for Kara in her room while the latter was preparing herself on her first modeling stint. A few minutes later, Kara knocked on the open door to get Lena's attention; she was only wearing her robe.

"You ready?" Lena asked, "This is going to be long." She added.

"I’m aware. It's fine." Kara nodded.

"I could just blur your face if you want to?" Lena offered.

"It's fine Lena really." Kara assured.

"Can I just ask for something first?" Kara added

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Can I kiss you?" Kara braved.

Without any protests Lena then put her brushes on the bed and walked over where Kara was, she took Kara by the waist without much force, her right hand caressed Kara's cheek as she held her lips against Kara's for the first time. Kara immediately reacted and put her hands on Lena's shoulders. The kiss was introducing, hungered but not dominating, Lena gave Kara the chance to kiss her back, one thing she didn't let other people do before. They parted after a brief moment, panting and gasping.

"I love you." Kara mindlessly whispered as they pulled away, which Lena heard but didn't react on. She just led Kara to the set up of white canvas where a few yards of white cloth were circled. Lena helped Kara stood at the center of the cloth and removed her robe showcasing Kara's perfection.

Lena bit her lower lip and just turned to where her canvas and high stool was, but before sitting on the high stool, Lena started removing her own clothes.

"Now we're even. Ready?" Lena teasingly asked.

Although surprised Kara didn't react on it. Instead of answering Kara straighten her back, took the other end of the cloth covering her femininity with her left hand, her right hand covering her left boob while leaving the other exposed. It was  _ The birth of Aphrodite _ pose. She then endowed Lena with the most daring look she could mutter and breathes evenly. Lena can't help it so she shook her head lightly and bit her lip one more time before dabbing the first stroke of her paintbrush on the smooth canvas.

The session lasted for almost four hours, although Lena has memorized Kara's pose and wholeness on the first hour and could just paint by memory, she didn't allow the latter to move a muscle. Kara's body was numb by the third hour while Lena was adding color on her skin.

It was on the fourth hour when Lena literally threw her brush in a 'fuck it I'm done' manner and walked towards her door and closed it. Kara was baffled but she didn't move from where she was standing.

Lena then walked towards Kara. She took both of Kara's hand and put them around her neck.

"You really are beautiful, and I should've done this on the second hour, but also really I wanted to finish a masterpiece." Lena said.

Lena leaned in and kisses Kara this time it was craving and taunting. Kara returned the kiss with much earnest and eagerness. She pushed Lena lightly directing them towards the bed. Lena has been dominant her whole life, she knows how she wanted to get things done, mainly because no one can give her what she wanted. But Kara slowly melted her guards, Kara's slowly breaking into her walls, Kara's making her realize something, something that has always been there but she was terrified to acknowledge.

Their kisses deepened as Lena's back hit the mattress, she started fighting her way to flip them over but Kara's not budging. Lena grunted, Kara softly giggled.

"Oh no Lena. Not tonight. Please be my sweetheart and be still." Kara whispered as she started kissing Lena down her chin, to her throat and then on her sternum.

Lena has never been under anybody before, she has never let anyone touch her like this, and she doesn't know what's leading her on. If it's lust then she should've forced Kara to get off of her and tied her up tight with the canvas harness under her bed, but she's up for the ride. It confused her inner monster.

Kara's a great confusion Lena was willing to solve. Kara continued to over power her own nature of submissiveness and lead them both to sweet oblivion.

+

Kara woke up on the right side of the wrong bed; she wasn't her in her room, she wasn't dreaming of the steamy night with Lena, because she was actually in her mentor's bed. It was all real. Kara instantly got up from lying on her belly and realized that Lena was nowhere to be found. The canvas of her portrait was gone as well.

She instinctively looked for her robe and wrapped herself with it, before going out of the room. She then walked to hers and took a shower. The house was silent, Sam's room was open and empty too.

After fixing herself Kara descended the stairs, she noticed the absence of one of the luxury cars from the front yard, but she thought maybe Lena was just strolling around so the next stop was the kitchen.

"Hey." Kara greeted Sam who was having coffee and French toast.

"Hey, good morning. Last week of apprenticeship Kara." Sam greeted and reminded her with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm gonna miss you." Kara teased.

"We can still hang out even after your apprenticeship, just give me call." Sam has been a good friend to Kara in the duration of her stay and she would surely miss her genuinely.

"Of course. By the way where's Lena?"

"Oh I thought she told you, she's going away for the rest of your stay here. She's up for her yearly exhibit so she'll be shutting everybody out until she finish her set of paintings for the next three months starting today." Sam explained.

"You mean I'll finish my apprenticeship without her?" Kara asked her heart crushed.

"I'm afraid so. I thought she already told you about it." Sam huffed, knowing exactly what happened with the two.

Kara felt betrayed, she resents Lena for leaving her behind when she thought she made herself clear about her feelings and her willingness to wait for her.

_ She really is selfish after all. _

_ I should've known. _

Kara thought to herself as she gets through the day without Lena. The absence irritatingly prolongs the day for Kara, she didn't move anything on her canvases. She just stared at them for a stretch of three hours. As if she wanted them to magically finish themselves on their own.

The next day, Kara pushed herself to the workshop again, this time with the forced determination to finish what she has started, making sure that she's leaving Lena the painting she's all been waiting for, the depiction that'll surely not only reach her standard but knock some sense on her brain.

+

"Hello Lena?"

"Hey, so how's - -"

"She already left, I gave her our gift yesterday and she left this morning."

"Oh -"

"You should come home now, you should see her painting. I told you she'd stage you."

"I'm on my way."

“I’ll wait for you.”

+

Lena isn't away for the sake of completing her set of paintings for this year's exhibit. She left because Kara overpowered her and she got scared. It was mainly for her to clear her mind, and for Kara's self-worth and preservation. The woman was too good to be hers, but still Kara surrendered herself to her. And Lena can't let herself ruin Kara with her inconsistency and impulsiveness so she ran away - like she always does.

"She changed you, yes?" Sam smiled as she hugged Lena by the porch.

"And she left me too."

"You know that's not true. You left her first. Now go see her painting and make up your mind dumbass." Sam teased.

"Thank you Sam. You're a great sister."

"Wow, for an ice queen that's pretty warm, she might have really melted you huh?" Sam pushed and Lena just shook her head.

She then walked towards the workshop. Each step was heavier than usual. The workshop seemed darker for her, even with all the glass to let the sun in. The workshop was Kara-less and it's uncanny.

She walked even slower when she saw the two canvases its back still facing the main door. She took a deep breath before rounding to the front of it.

And for the first time in the history of her 5-year apprenticeship program, Lena was awed.

_ Lena was staged. _

_ Lena was astonished and beyond. _

Kara used hyperrealism, her first canvas showed Lena with her back against something so bright, it's like a tunnel’s end. Lena looked scared, doubting and helpless, and she was tightly clutching on someone's hand but it wasn't shown. What broke Lena down was the second canvas; it shows Kara's back facing the dark, someone was tightly clutching on her, but unlike Lena who's unsure, scared and doubting, Kara looks confident for the first time, she was protective and she's never letting go. There was a note taped at the back Kara's canvas where she told Lena the title of the two-sided painting. Kara called them;  _ O Sotiras,  _ it was the Greek translation of  _ The Savior _ .

_ Three months later... _

"Miss Danvers, something came in the mail for you."

"Thank you, Nia."

Kara's back in her normal life, she has already accepted the offer of her alma mater to be the head and chairman of the College of Fine Arts. Lucy was also back for a holiday from her work abroad although it relates more on multi-media art and not on what she actually studied about, she seems to be enjoying it so Kara let her be.

After finishing her set of work that day, she turned to see what was delivered for her. It was an invitation for an exhibit, and she immediately thought of Lena, it's been three months. But the invitation only has three things on it, the title, which was  _ The One Who Needed Saving _ , and the time and date, which is tomorrow around 10 am. It says that the exhibit will only run for three days and the invitation would serve as the pass, so people who'll receive it should come by the designated time and date. There's no name of the artist undersigned. But Kara knows pretty well that it was from  _ her _ . She feels it.

The next day Kara found herself in front of the entrance of the function hall at the National Museum of Contemporary Art. She presented her invitation at the reception and they nodded pretty smilingly at her.

Out of habit, Kara immediately looked for the information tablet of the whole exhibit but there was none. She remembered Lena telling her back then that maybe the artist want it to be private so she just started roaming around.

There was already a good number of people present, some Kara knew from formal gatherings and others she first met. They were all looking at her with a knowing smile and Kara's starting to feel conscious about herself. So she resorted to look intently and started studying each and every painting she passes by.

And it was only then it hit her, the whole set of paintings was all her. She saw a canvas with her eyes on them, another one with her lips smiling, another one with her biting her fingers, a mannerism she does when she's awkwardly telling a lie, there's another one from her neck down her waist, she was wearing nothing but her dad's dress shirt, halfway open to her abs.

And then she reached the huge white wall with her Aphrodite pose alone, where most of the people stop and gasp. She was embarrassed but equally proud of the outcome though. She smiled remembering what happened after that paint session and was reminded of the pain as well. She continued walking to the other side of the hall, where she saw her painting. It was the first time she saw it after she finished painting it and left it for Lena. It brings tears to her eyes.

"You came." She heard a familiar voice from behind her, but she didn't turn to where it came from, she just felt another presence beside her.

"You left me." Kara accused.

"I know. But it's the only thing I could think of doing at that time. All those feelings you made me feel were foreign to me, was unnatural. Was not what I am used to. No one ever made me feel them before, and it scared the shit out of me."

"So you left me, like what your past lovers did you, but then at least they did look back when they left, because you didn't. You keep your head high and walked right out straight forward."

"Looking back meant finality remember?"

"No Lena, you look back not because your doubtful of their love for you but because you also want to be sure that you make them feel their worth. You look back because they matter to you. You look back because they deserve the acknowledgement and appreciation for keeping up with you. You look back because you love them and you don't want to lose them. Now I'm going to ask you to do what you did to me before, Lena if you don't plan on staying in my life, please before I lay my eyes on you again, walk away and don't look back." Kara said without buckle.

"What if I do walk away now, but look back halfway? What would that make me?" Lena asked looking intently on Kara but the latter has her eyes fixed on the paintings, standing her ground.

"If you look back because you think it's for finality then do it, if you look back because you're expecting me to be watching you as you leave and wishing you would there's a 50% chance that I would."

"Look at me."

"No."

"Kara -"

"You can't just use me and get away with it Lena, because I know that you know how much in love I am with you but I don't want to be another one of your tools." Kara said with finality.

Kara heard Lena sigh in defeat and the warm presence beside her was quickly replaced by an empty space. Kara sighed already accepting the fact that Lena chose to be broken all along. She was about to leave when she felt something, no someone leaned against her, and she straightens her back as her body stiffens. The warmth was familiar. She then felt someone clutching her hand tightly.

" _ O Sotiras. _ " Lena whispered, Kara realized that Lena was mimicking the Lena on her painting right at that moment.

" _ I mia apothikevmenes. _ " Kara answered.

"What's that?" Lena asked not moving from their pose.

"That's the title of your canvas, it was the Greek translation of –  _ The One Saved. _ I am the savior, and you're the one who needed saving."


End file.
